ZetCode

Java Comparable & Comparator

last modified January 27, 2024

Java Comparable and Comparator tutorial shows how to compare objects in Java with Comparable and Comparator interfaces. Comparing two objects is essential when doing sorting.

When working with custom Java objects to perform comparisons, we can use Comparable or Comparator interfaces.

Java Comparable

The Comparable interface imposes a total ordering on the objects of each class that implements it. This ordering is referred to as the class's natural ordering. The class's compareTo method has to be implemented to provide the natural comparison.

Java Comparator

The Comparator interface imposes a total ordering on some collection of objects. Comparators can be passed to a sort method (such as Collections.sort or Arrays.sort) to allow precise control over the sort order. Comparators can also be used to control the order of certain data structures (such as sorted sets or sorted maps), or to provide an ordering for collections of objects that don't have a natural ordering.

Comparable vs Comparator

The following two lists summarize the differences between the two interfaces.

Java Comparable

Java Comparator

Java built-in Comparator example

Java language offers some built-int Comparators.

com/zetcode/JavaBuiltInComparatorEx.java
package com.zetcode;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

public class JavaBuiltInComparatorEx {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        List<String> words = new ArrayList<>();

        words.add("dog");
        words.add("pen");
        words.add("sky");
        words.add("rock");
        words.add("den");
        words.add("fountain");

        words.sort(Comparator.naturalOrder());
        words.forEach(System.out::println);

        words.sort(Comparator.reverseOrder());
        words.forEach(System.out::println);
    }
}

In the example, we sort an array of words in ascending and descending orders. 

words.sort(Comparator.naturalOrder());

The Comparator.naturalOrder returns a built-in natural order Comparator. 

words.sort(Comparator.reverseOrder());

The Comparator.reverseOrder returns a comparator that imposes the reverse of the natural ordering.

Comparator.comparingInt

The Comparator.comparingInt method extracts the int sort key from the provided type and compares by that key.

com/zetcode/JavaBuiltInComparatorEx2.java
package com.zetcode;

import java.time.LocalDate;
import java.time.Period;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

public class JavaBuiltInComparatorEx2 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        var p1 = new Person("Robert", LocalDate.of(2008, 8, 21));
        var p2 = new Person("Monika", LocalDate.of(2008, 10, 5));
        var p3 = new Person("Tom", LocalDate.of(1977, 11, 30));
        var p4 = new Person("Elisabeth", LocalDate.of(2004, 8, 30));

        var persons = List.of(p1, p2, p3, p4 );

        var sorted = persons.stream()
                .sorted(Comparator.comparingInt(Person::age));
        sorted.forEach(System.out::println);
    }

    record Person(String name, LocalDate dateOfBirth) {

        public int age() {

            return Period.between(dateOfBirth(), LocalDate.now()).getYears();
        }

        @Override
        public String toString() {
            final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("Person{");
            sb.append("name='").append(name()).append('\'');
            sb.append(", age=").append(age());
            sb.append('}');
            return sb.toString();
        }
    }
}

In the example, we compare Person objects by their age utilizing Comparator.comparingInt method. 

Person{name='Robert', age=12}
Person{name='Monika', age=12}
Person{name='Elisabeth', age=16}
Person{name='Tom', age=43}

The objects are sorted by age.

Multiple Comparators

With Comparator.thenComparing method, we can use multiple comparators when sorting objects.

com/zetcode/JavaMultipleComparatorsEx.java
package com.zetcode;

import java.time.LocalDate;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

// Comparing list of objects by multiple object fields

public class JavaMultipleComparatorsEx {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        var persons = List.of(
                new Person("Peter", LocalDate.of(1998, 5, 11), "New York"),
                new Person("Sarah", LocalDate.of(2008, 8, 21), "Las Vegas"),
                new Person("Lucy", LocalDate.of(1988, 12, 10), "Toronto"),
                new Person("Sarah", LocalDate.of(2000, 9, 19), "New York"),
                new Person("Tom", LocalDate.of(2004, 8, 30), "Toronto"),
                new Person("Robert", LocalDate.of(2008, 11, 1), "San Diego"),
                new Person("Lucy", LocalDate.of(2008, 10, 5), "Los Angeles"),
                new Person("Sam", LocalDate.of(1986, 6, 17), "Dallas"),
                new Person("Elisabeth", LocalDate.of(1985, 7, 12), "New York"),
                new Person("Ruth", LocalDate.of(1994, 4, 28), "New York"),
                new Person("Sarah", LocalDate.of(1977, 11, 30), "New York")
        );

        var sorted = persons.stream()
                .sorted(Comparator.comparing(Person::name)
                .thenComparing(Person::city)
                .thenComparing(Person::dateOfBirth));

        sorted.forEach(System.out::println);
    }

    record Person(String name, LocalDate dateOfBirth, String city) {

    }
}

We have a list of Person objects. We compare the objects by their name, then by their city and finally by their age. 

var sorted = persons.stream()
    .sorted(Comparator.comparing(Person::name)
    .thenComparing(Person::city)
    .thenComparing(Person::dateOfBirth));

The Comparator.thenComparing method allows us to apply multiply comparators to the sorting operation. 

Person[name=Elisabeth, dateOfBirth=1985-07-12, city=New York]
Person[name=Lucy, dateOfBirth=2008-10-05, city=Los Angeles]
Person[name=Lucy, dateOfBirth=1988-12-10, city=Toronto]
Person[name=Peter, dateOfBirth=1998-05-11, city=New York]
Person[name=Robert, dateOfBirth=2008-11-01, city=San Diego]
Person[name=Ruth, dateOfBirth=1994-04-28, city=New York]
Person[name=Sam, dateOfBirth=1986-06-17, city=Dallas]
Person[name=Sarah, dateOfBirth=2008-08-21, city=Las Vegas]
Person[name=Sarah, dateOfBirth=1977-11-30, city=New York]
Person[name=Sarah, dateOfBirth=2000-09-19, city=New York]
Person[name=Tom, dateOfBirth=2004-08-30, city=Toronto]

Java custom Comparator

In the next example, we create a custom Comparator.

com/zetcode/JavaCustomComparator.java
package com.zetcode;

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;

public class JavaCustomComparatorEx {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        List<String> words = Arrays.asList("pen", "blue", "atom", "to",
                "ecclesiastical", "abbey", "car", "ten", "desk", "slim",
                "journey", "forest", "landscape", "achievement", "Antarctica");

        words.sort((e1, e2) -> e1.length() - e2.length());

        words.forEach(System.out::println);

        words.sort((e1, e2) -> e2.length() - e1.length());

        words.forEach(System.out::println);
    }
}

We have a list of words. This time we compare the words by their length. 

words.sort((e1, e2) -> e1.length() - e2.length());

This custom comparator is used to sort the words by their size in ascending order. 

words.sort((e1, e2) -> e2.length() - e1.length() );

In the second case, the words are sorted in descending order. 

to
pen
car
ten
blue
atom
desk
slim
abbey
forest
journey
landscape
Antarctica
achievement
ecclesiastical
ecclesiastical
achievement
Antarctica
landscape
journey
forest
abbey
blue
atom
desk
slim
pen
car
ten
to

Java custom Comparator II

In the following example, we create two custom comparators.

com/zetcode/JavaCustomComparatorEx2.java
package com.zetcode;

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Comparator;

// Comparing objects with Comparator in array

public class JavaCustomComparatorEx2 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Car[] cars = {
                new Car("Volvo", 23400), new Car("Mazda", 13700),
                new Car("Porsche", 353800), new Car("Skoda", 8900),
                new Car("Volkswagen", 19900)
        };

        System.out.println("Comparison by price:");

        Arrays.sort(cars, new CompareByPrice());

        for (Car car : cars) {

            System.out.println(car);
        }

        System.out.println();

        System.out.println("Comparison by name:");

        Arrays.sort(cars, new CompareByName());

        for (Car car : cars) {

            System.out.println(car);
        }
    }
}

record Car(String name, int price) {}

class CompareByPrice implements Comparator<Car> {

    @Override
    public int compare(Car c1, Car c2) {

        return c1.price() - c2.price();
    }
}

class CompareByName implements Comparator<Car> {

    @Override
    public int compare(Car c1, Car c2) {

        return c1.name().compareTo(c2.name());
    }
}

We have an array of Car objects. We create two custom comparators to compare the objects by their name and by their price. 

class CompareByPrice implements Comparator<Car> {

    @Override
    public int compare(Car c1, Car c2) {

        return c1.price() - c2.price();
    }
}

The custom CompareByPrice comparator implements the Comparator interface; forcing us to implement the compare method. Our implementation compares the car objects by their price. 

class CompareByName implements Comparator<Car> {

    @Override
    public int compare(Car c1, Car c2) {

        return c1.name().compareTo(c2.name());
    }
}

In the second case, we are comparing car objects by their name. 

Comparison by price:
Car{name='Skoda', price=8900}
Car{name='Mazda', price=13700}
Car{name='Volkswagen', price=19900}
Car{name='Volvo', price=23400}
Car{name='Porsche', price=353800}

Comparison by name:
Car{name='Mazda', price=13700}
Car{name='Porsche', price=353800}
Car{name='Skoda', price=8900}
Car{name='Volkswagen', price=19900}
Car{name='Volvo', price=23400}

Java Comparable example

In the following example, we compare objects with Comparable.

com/zetcode/JavaComparableEx.java
package com.zetcode;

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Comparator;

class Card implements Comparable<Card> {

    @Override
    public int compareTo(Card o) {

        return Comparator.comparing(Card::getRank)
                .thenComparing(Card::getSuit)
                .compare(this, o);
    }

    public enum Suit {
        CLUBS,
        DIAMONDS,
        HEARTS,
        SPADES
    }

    public enum Rank {
        TWO,
        THREE,
        FOUR,
        FIVE,
        SIX,
        SEVEN,
        EIGHT,
        NINE,
        TEN,
        JACK,
        QUEEN,
        KING,
        ACE,
    }

    private Suit suit;
    private Rank rank;

    public Card(Rank rank, Suit suit) {

        this.rank = rank;
        this.suit = suit;
    }

    public Rank getRank() {
        return rank;
    }

    public Suit getSuit() {
        return suit;
    }

    public void showCard() {

        rank = getRank();
        suit = getSuit();

        System.out.println(rank + " of " + suit);
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("Card{");
        sb.append("suit=").append(suit);
        sb.append(", rank=").append(rank);
        sb.append('}');
        return sb.toString();
    }
}

public class JavaComparableEx {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Card[] cards = {
                new Card(Card.Rank.KING, Card.Suit.DIAMONDS),
                new Card(Card.Rank.FIVE, Card.Suit.HEARTS),
                new Card(Card.Rank.ACE, Card.Suit.CLUBS),
                new Card(Card.Rank.NINE, Card.Suit.SPADES),
                new Card(Card.Rank.JACK, Card.Suit.SPADES),
                new Card(Card.Rank.JACK, Card.Suit.DIAMONDS)};

        Arrays.sort(cards);

        for (Card card: cards) {

            System.out.println(card);
        }
    }
}

We have a list of Card objects. Each card has a value and belongs to a suit. We implement to Comparable interface to provide some natural ordering to the objects of Card class. 

@Override
public int compareTo(Card o) {

    return Comparator.comparing(Card::getValue)
            .thenComparing(Card::getSuit)
            .compare(this, o);
}

We implement the compareTo method. We compare the cards first by their value and then by their suit. 

Card{suit=HEARTS, rank=FIVE}
Card{suit=SPADES, rank=NINE}
Card{suit=DIAMONDS, rank=JACK}
Card{suit=SPADES, rank=JACK}
Card{suit=DIAMONDS, rank=KING}
Card{suit=CLUBS, rank=ACE}

The cards are sorted from the lowest ranked to the highest ranked.

Source

Java Comparator - language reference

In this article we have shown how to compare objects in Java using Comparable and Comparator.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar and I am a passionate programmer with many years of programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. So far, I have written over 1400 articles and 8 e-books. I have over eight years of experience in teaching programming.

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